Year in Reflection – Colley Elevator blog – 2019 Elevator Blog

What a year!  2019 winds down and we begin reflecting on the year and the decade. As Colley Elevator enters our 112 year as an independent elevator contractor we reflect on a few things to tie up the end of the year.

Annual reflection – This year we saw our maintenance portfolio grow from 1500 to 1650 elevators under contract.  This year we have ordered/installed 55 Smartrise controllers, a handful of MCE product and a ton of cylinders, power units and a few machines.  In 2019 Colley won Elevator World’s Ellie for Best Contractor in the North. We have a great team over at Colley from the person who answers the phone to the elevator technician who executes and everyone in-between.  I’m proud to work side by side with everyone here and that we have a culture of openness at Colley that helps get everyone done at a high level! Thank you to our coworkers, customers & suppliers for being great!

Decade reflection – Think about what was going on in 2010, as an elevator industry we started to feel the recession in the Elevator Industry.  Those days may be behind us but should not be forgotten.  A lot of people lost their jobs, and 401ks, plans for the future changed.  Right now the economies fire is burning hot, which is great, but what goes up will come down.  

Blog reflection – 47 posts in 2019[that is a lot of words, pictures and time], over 30,000 views, over 104,000 views in the blog’s history.  We did a really cool feature on non proprietary controllers feature some of the top brands.  This year I hope to do a few more mini features with freight doors and some other niche items.  With Tom Syberts retirement from Elevator Radio Show it makes us the longest running weekly social media source.  I loved the Elevator Radio show!  Thank you Tom for all the years of hard work!

[Bloggers reflection]

1/6/19 – Nonproprietary elevator control systems

1/13/19 – Colley Elevator year end party

1/19/19 – Vertitron Midwest – Non Proprietary elevator control systems – 2019 series

1/27/19 – Motion Control Engineering - Non Proprietary elevator control systems – 2019 series

2/16/19 – Virginia Controls - Non Proprietary elevator control systems – 2019 series

2/23/19 – Smartrise Engineering - Non Proprietary elevator control systems – 2019 series

3/3/19 – Elevator accidents & Injuries/CPWR Deaths and Injuries involving elevators or escalators in construction and general populations

3/10/19 – Chicago Elevator Firefighters’s Emergency Operation mandate – FEO – Fireman’s Service

3/16/19 - Hydraulic Elevator Control Modernization – Montgomery Elevator

3/23/19 – I have an old elevator system, what do I do? – Oak Park, IL

3/30/19 – ACTHA – Oak Brook, IL – Condominium Show

4/6/19 – Hydraulic elevator service work – Oak Park, IL

4/14/19 – Traction Elevator Control Modernizatoin – Chicago, IL – Historic building

4/21/19 – Importance of elevator data tags

4/27/19 – Elevator shunt trip disconnecting means

5/4/19 – Chicago elevators in the news

5/12/19 – State of Illinois Elevators – Elevator Braille mandate

5/19/19 – A17.1 2016 Elevator Code – Hoistway Access

5/26/19 – Elevator Job Site Hall of Fame – Class of 2019[1^st ½ of the year]

6/8/19 – Associa Cares 2019 Casino night

6/14/19 – Schindler 330A elevator replacement/elevator modernization – Chicago, IL

6/22/19 – Guide for elevator new construction for general contractors and building owners

6/30/19 – ADA Elevator Braille requirements State of Illinois

7/7/19 – Hydraulic elevator modernization – Chicago, IL

7/14/19 – Chicago Elevator Association – EESF Boat Cruise 2019

7/20/19 – Residential lift safety – Washington Post

7/28/19 – Hydraulic elevator modernization – Chicago, IL – elevator #1 & #2

8/4/19 - Elevator World – Colley Elevator – 2019 Ellies

8/17/19 – CEI/QEI continuing education – Colley Elevator

8/25/19 – Elevator safety – New York City Accident

9/2/19 – Massive elevator hydraulic fluid contamination water

9/8/19 – Hydraulic elevator modernization – Homewood, IL – Dover Elevator

9/15/19 – 2019 Ellies Winner – Best contractor of the North – Elevator World Magazine

9/21/19 – Elevator cylinder replacement – cylinder hole clause – water

9/29/19 – Colley Elevators 7^th annual QEI continuing education training

10/5/19 – Smoke detectors, sprinklers, heat detectors and shunt trip in elevator environment

10/13/19 – When is it time to change your elevator’s dry hydraulic power unit

10/19/19 – What should not be in an elevator machine room

10/26/19 – Hydraulic elevator control modernization – Mt. Prospect, IL

11/2/19 – 1929 Haughton traction elevator slated for 3^rd or 4^th modernization – Chicago, IL

11/10/19 – The elevator maintenance trilogy – maintenance required

11/16/19 – Elevator new construction – Elk Grove Village VFW – Elk Grove Village, IL

11/24/19 – State of Illinois Elevator Braille ADA requirements Inspectors enforcing NOW!

12/1/19 – Hydraulic elevator modernization – Morton Grove, IL

12/13/19 – Maxton valve no longer to repair or service vales over 20 years old

12/22/19 – Elevator electrical problems – elevator motor damage

Thank you for everyone who took the time to read the blog.  It is really cool to bump into people who say “hey! I read your blog!”  My 2019 to 2020 words of wisdom; learn something every day and be proud of the work you do and choices you make!  Lets make 2020 a wonderful and memorable year!

Hey! Sign up for our mailing list!  We should be getting a monthly email going out sometime in Q1 of next year.

If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.

Also check us out on Instagram @Colleyelevator see what we have been up to.